North America Distribution

Facts About

Saltmarsh stitchwort has a circumboreal distribution that includes Canada, Alaska, Greenland, and northern Asia. It enters New England in Maine only, where it is a rare inhabitant of salt and brackish marshes along the coast.

Habitat

Brackish or salt marshes and flats, intertidal, subtidal or open ocean

Characteristics

Habitat

aquatic

wetlands

New England state

Maine

Flower petal color

white

Leaf type

the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)

Leaf arrangement

opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem

Leaf blade edges

the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)

Flower symmetry

there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)

Clonal plantlets

Flowers

the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers

Anther spurs

the anthers do not have spurs on them

Calyx symmetry

there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)

Carpels fused

the carpels are fused to one another

Cleistogamous flowers

there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan

Corolla morphology

NA

Corolla palate

no

Corona lobe length

0 mm

Epicalyx

the flower does not have an epicalyx

Epicalyx number of parts

0

Filament surface

the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales

Flower description

the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium

Flower petal color

white

Flower reproductive parts

the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts

Flower symmetry

there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)

Flowers sunken into stem

no

Form of style

the flower has two or more completely separate styles

Fused stamen clusters

NA

Fusion of sepals and petals

both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused

Horns in hoods (Asclepias)

NA

Hypanthium

the flower does not have a hypanthium

Inflorescence one-sided

the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks

Inner tepals (Rumex)

NA

Nectar spur

the flower has no nectar spurs

Number of pistils

1

Number of sepals, petals or tepals

there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower

Ovary position

the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment

Petal and sepal arrangement

the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures

Petal and sepal colors

white

Petal appearance

the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)

Petal folds or pleats

the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits

Petal hairs (Viola)

NA

Petal number

5

Petal tips (Cuscuta)

NA

Scales inside corolla

no

Sepal and petal color

the sepals are different from the petals

Sepal appendages

the sepals do not have appendages on them

Sepal appendages (Oenothera)

NA

Sepal number

5

Stamen attachment

the stamens are not attached to the petals or tepals

Stamen number

10

Stamen position relative to petals

NA

Staminodes

there are no staminodes on the flower

Umbel flower reproductive parts

NA

Upper lip of bilabiate corolla

NA

Fruits or seeds

Achene relative orientation

NA

Achene shape

NA

Achene surface (Polygonum)

NA

Achene type

NA

Berry color

NA

Capsule color (Viola)

NA

Capsule ribs

the capsule has no prominent ribs or wings

Capsule splitting

the capsule splits by six main valves, teeth or pores

the capsule splits by three main valves, teeth or pores

Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence

NA

Fruit cross-section

the fruit is round in cross-section

Fruit features (Brassicaceae)

NA

Fruit length

4–5 mm

Fruit locules

one

Fruit type (general)

the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe

Fruit type (specific)

the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)

Legumes (Fabaceae)

NA

Mericarp length

0 mm

Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)

NA

Other markings on berry

NA

Ovary stipe

the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe

Placenta arrangement

the plant has free-central placentation, where the ovules develop on a central column in a compound ovary lacking septa or with septa at the base only

Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)

NA

Schizocarpic fruit compression

NA

Schizocarpic fruit segments

0

Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)

NA

Wings on fruit

the fruit does not have wings on it

prickles on fruits

the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures

Glands or sap

Glands on leaf blade

the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales

Sap

the sap is clear and watery

Sap color

the sap is clear

Growth form

Lifespan

the plant lives more than two years

Parasitism

the plant is not parasitic

Plant color

the leaves or young stems of the plant are green

Plants darken when dry

no

Spines on plant

the plant has no spines

Leaves

Bracteole number (Apiaceae)

0

Bracts in plantain (Plantago)

NA

Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)

0 mm

Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)

0

Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)

0 mm

Hairs on underside of leaf

the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs

Leaf arrangement

opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem

Leaf blade base

the leaf has no stalk

Leaf blade base shape

the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow

the base of the leaf blade is rounded

Leaf blade edges

the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)

Leaf blade length

4–15 mm

Leaf blade shape

the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)

the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)

Leaf blade surface colors

the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color

Leaf duration

the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)

Leaf form

the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture

Leaf spines

there are no spines on the leaf edges

Leaf type

the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)

Leaf types

There is a gradual change in appearance of the leaves from the base (or near the base) of the plant to those from further up on the stem, with leaves progressively changing as one moves higher on the stem (often becoming shorter, or less toothed/lobed, and/or with shorter petioles).

Leaflet number

0

Leaflet petiolules

NA

Leaves per node

there are two leaves per node along the stem

Pinnately compound leaf type

NA

Specific leaf type

the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)